Letter No. 11

Simple prudence misgives me at the thought of entering upon my new role of an "instructor."
If M. satisfied you but little I am afraid of giving you still less satisfaction since
besides being restrained in my explanations, — for there are a thousand things I will
have to leave unrevealed — by my vow of silence I have far less time at my disposal than
he has. However, I'll try my best. Let it not be said that I failed to recognise your
present sincere desire to become useful to the Society, hence to Humanity, for I am deeply
alive to the fact that none better than yourself in India is calculated to disperse the
mists of superstition and popular error by throwing light on the darkest problems. But
before I answer your questions and explain our doctrine any further, I'll have to preface
my replies with a long introduction. First of all and again I will draw your attention
to the tremendous difficulty of finding appropriate terms in English which would convey
to the educated European mind even an approximately correct notion about the various subjects
we will have to treat upon. To illustrate my meaning I'll underline in red the technical
words adopted and used by your men of Science and which withal are absolutely misleading
not only when applied to such transcendental subjects as on hand but even when used by
themselves in their own system of thought.

To comprehend my answers you will have first of all to view the eternal Essence,
the Swabavat not as a compound element you call spirit-matter, but as the one element
for which the English has no name. It is both passive and active, pure SpiritEssence in its absoluteness, and repose, pure matter in its finite and conditioned
state, — even as an unponderable gas or that great unknown which Science has pleased to
call Force. When poets talk of the "shoreless ocean of immutability" we must
regard the term but as a jocular paradox, since we maintain that there is no such thing
as immutability — not in our Solar system at least. Immutability say the theists and Christians
"is an attribute of God" and forthwith they endow that God with every mutable and variable
quality and attribute, knowable as unknowable, and believe that they have solved the unsolvable
and squared the circle. To this we reply if that which the Theists call God,
and science "Force" and "Potential Energy," were to become immutable
but for one instant even during the Maha-Pralaya a period when even Brahm the creative
architect of the world is said to have merged into non-being, then there could be no manwantara,
and space alone would reign unconscious and supreme in the eternity of time. Nevertheless,
Theism when speaking of mutable immutability is no more absurd than materialistic science
talking of "latent potential energy," and the indestructibility of matter and
force. What are we to believe as indestructible? Is it the invisible something that moves
matter or the energy of moving bodies! What does modern science know of force proper,
or say the forces, — the cause or causes of motion. How can there be such a thing as
potential energy, i.e., an energy having latent inactive power since
it is energy only while it is moving matter, and that if itever
ceased to move matter it would cease to be, and with it matter itself would disappear.
Is force any happier term? Some thirty-five years back a Dr. Mayer offered the hypothesis
now accepted as an axiom that force in the sense given it by modern science, like matter
is indestructible namely when it ceases to be manifest in one form it still exists
and has only passed into some other form. And yet your men of science have not
found a single instance where one force is transformed into another, and Mr.
Tyndall tells his opponents that "in no case is the force producing the motion annihilated
or changed into anything else." Moreover we are indebted to modern science for the novel
discovery that there exists a quantitative relation between the dynamic energy producing
something and the "something" produced. Undoubtedly there exists a quantitive relation
between cause and effect, between the amount of energy used in breaking one's neighbour's
nose, and the damage done to that nose, but this does not solve one bit more the mystery
of what they are pleased to call correlations, since it can be easily proved (and that
on the authority of that same science) that neither motion nor energy is indestructible
and that the physical forces are in no way or manner convertible one into another. I will
cross-examine them in their own phraseology and we will see whether their theories are
calculated to serve as a barrier to our "astounding doctrines." Preparing as I do to propound
a teaching diametrically opposed to their own it is but just that I should clear the ground
of scientific rubbish lest what I have to say should fall on a too encumbered soil and
only bring forth weeds. "This potential and imaginary materia prima cannot exist without
form," says Raleigh, and he is right in so far that the materia prima of science exists
but in their imagination. Can they say the same quantity of energy has always been moving
the matter of the universe? Certainly not so long as they teach that when the elements
of the material cosmos, elements which had first to manifest themselves in their uncombined
gaseous state, were uniting the quantity of matter — moving energy was a million times
greater than it is now when our globe is cooling off. For where did
the heat that was generated by this tremendous process of building up a universe go to?
To the unoccupied chambers of space they say. Very well, but if it is gone for ever from
the material universe and the energy operative on earth has never and at no time
been the same, then how can they try to maintain the "unchangeable quantity of energy,"
that potential energy which a body may sometimes exert, the force
which passes from one body to another producing motion and which is not yet "annihilated
or changed into anything else." Aye, we are answered, "but we still hold to its indestructibility;
while it remains connected with matter, it can never cease to be, or less or
more." Let us see whether it is so. I throw a brick up to a mason who is busy building
the roof of a temple. He catches it and cements it in the roof. Gravity overcame the propelling
energy which started the upward motion of the brick, and the dynamic energy of the ascending
brick until it ceased to ascend. At that moment it was caught and fastened to
the roof. No natural force could now move it, therefore it possesses no longer potential
energy. The motion and the dynamic energy of the ascending brick are absolutely annihilated.
Another example from their own text books. You fire a gun upward from the foot of a hill
and the ball lodges in a crevice of the rock on that hill. No natural force can,
for an indefinite period move it, so the ball as much as the brick has lost its potential
energy. "All the motion and energy which was taken from the ascending ball by gravity
is absolutely annihilated, no other motion or energy succeeds and gravity has received
no increase of energy." Is it not true then that energy is indestructible! How then is
it that your great authority teaches the world that "in no case is the force producing
the motion annihilated or changed into anything else"?

I am perfectly aware of your answer and give you these illustrations but to show how misleading
are the terms used by scientists, how vacillating and uncertain their theories and finally
how incomplete all their teachings. One more objection and I have done. They
teach that all the physical forces rejoicing in specific names such as gravity, inertia,
cohesion, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, chemical affinity, are convertible one
into another? If so the force producing must cease to be as the force produced becomes
manifest. "A flying cannon ball moves only from its own inherent force of inertia." When
it strikes it produces heat and other effects but its force of inertia is not the least
diminished. It will require as much energy to start it again at the same velocity as it
did at first. We may repeat the process a thousand times and as long as the quantity of
matter remains the same its force of inertia will remain the same in quantity. The same
in the case of gravity. A meteor falls and produces heat. Gravity is to be held to account
for this, but the force of gravity upon the fallen body is not diminished. Chemical
attraction draws and holds the particles of matter together, their collision producing
heat. Has the former passed into the latter? Not in the least, since drawing the particles
again together whenever these are separated it proves that it, the chemical affinity is
not decreased, for it will hold them as strongly as ever together. Heat they
say generates and produces electricity yet they find no decrease in the heat in the process.
Electricity produces heat we are told? Electrometers show that the electrical current
passes through some poor conductor, a platinum wire say and heats the latter. Precisely
the same quantity of electricity, there being no loss of electricity, no decrease.
What then has been converted into heat? Again electricity is said to produce magnetism.

I have on the table before me primitive electrometers in whose vicinity chelas come the
whole day to recuperate their nascent powers. I do not find the slightest decrease in
the electricity stored. The chelas are magnetized, but their magnetism or rather that
of their rods is not that electricity under a new mask. No more than
the flame of a thousand tapers lit at the flame of the Fo lamp is the flame of
the latter. Therefore if by the uncertain twilight of modern science it is an axiomatic
truth "that during vital processes the conversion only and never the creation
of matter or force occurs" (Dr. J. R. Mayer's organic motion in its connection with nutrition)
— it is for us but half a truth. It is neither conversion nor creation,
but something for which science has yet no name.

Perhaps now you will be prepared to better understand the difficulties with which we will
have to contend. Modern science is our best ally. Yet it is generally that same science
which is made the weapon to break our heads with. However you will have to bear in mind
(a) that we recognise but one element in Nature (whether spiritual or physical)
outside which there can be no Nature since it is Nature itself (1),
and which as the akasa pervades our solar system every atom being part of itself
pervades throughout space and is space in fact, which pulsates as in
profound sleep during the pralayas and the universal Proteus, the ever active Nature during
the Manwantaras; (b) that consequently spirit and matter are one, being but a
differentiation of states not essences, and that the Greek philosopher who maintained
that the universe was a huge animal penetrated the symbolical significance of the Pythagorean
monad (which becomes two, then three
and
finally having become the tetracktis or the perfect square (thus evolving out of itself
four and involuting three
forms the sacred seven) — and thus was far in advance of all the scientific men of the
present time; (c) that our notions of "cosmic matter" are diametrically opposed to those
of western science. Perchance if you remember all this we will succeed in imparting to
you at least the elementary axioms of our esoteric philosophy more correctly than heretofore.
Fear not my kind brother; your life is not ebbing away and it will not be extinct before
you have completed your mission. I can sayno more except that the Chohan has
permitted me to devote my spare time to instruct those who are willing to learn, and you
will have work enough to "drop" your Fragments at intervals of two or three months. My
time is very limited yet I will do what I can. But I can promise nothing
beyond this. I will have to remain silent as to the Dyan Chohans nor can I impart to you
the secrets concerning the men of the seventh round. The recognition of the higher phases
of man's being on this planet is not to be attained by mere acquirement of knowledge.
Volumes of the most perfectly constructed information cannot reveal to man life in the
higher regions. One has to get a knowledge of spiritual facts by personal experience and
from actual observation, for as Tyndall puts it "facts looked directly at are vital, when
they pass into words half the sap is taken out of them."

And because you recognise this
great principle of personal observation, and are not slow to put into practice what you
have acquired in the way of useful information, is perhaps the reason why the hitherto
implacable Chohan my master has finally permitted me to devote to a certain extent a portion
of my time to the progress of the Eclectic. But I am but one and you are many,
and none of my Fellow brothers with the exception of M. will help me in this work, not
even our semi-European Greek Brother who but a few days back remarked that when "every
one of the Eclectics on the Hill will have become a Zetetic then will he see what he can
do for them." And as you are aware there is very little hope for this. Men seek after
knowledge until they weary themselves to death, but even they do not feel very impatient
to help their neighbour with their knowledge; hence there arises a coldness, a mutual
indifference which renders him who knows inconsistent with himself and inharmonious
with his surroundings. Viewed from our standpoint the evil is far greater on the spiritual
than on the material side of man: hence my sincere thanks to you and desire to urge your
attention to such a course as shall aid a true progression and achieve wider results by
turning your knowledge into a permanent teaching in the form of articles and pamphlets.

But for the attainment of your proposed object, viz. — for a clearer comprehension of the
extremely abstruse and at first incomprehensible theories of our occult doctrine never
allow the serenity of your mind to be disturbed during your hours of literary labour,
nor before you set to work. It is upon the serene and placid surface of the unruffled
mind that the visions gathered from the invisible find a representation in the visible
world. Otherwise you would vainly seek those visions, those flashes of sudden light which
have already helped to solve so many of the minor problems and which alone can bring the
truth before the eye of the soul. It is with jealous care that we have to guard our mind-plane
from all the adverse influences which daily arise in our passage through earth-life.

Many are the questions you asked me in your several letters, I can answer but few. Concerning
Eglinton I will beg you to wait for developments. In regard to your kind lady the question
is more serious and I cannot undertake the responsibility of making her change her diet
as abruptly as you suggest. Flesh and meat she can give
up at any time as it can never hurt; as for liquor with which Mrs. H. has long been sustaining
her system, you yourself know the fatal effects it may produce in an enfeebled constitution
were the latter to be suddenly deprived of its stimulant. Her physical life is not a real
existence backed by a reserve of vital force, but a factitious one fed upon the spirit
of liquor however small the quantity. While a strong constitution might rally after the
first shock of such a change as proposed, the chances are that she would fall into a decline.
So would she if opium or arsenic were her chief sustenance. Again I promise nothing yet
will do in this direction what I can. "Converse with you and teach you through astral
light?" Such a development of your psychical powers of hearing, as you name, — the Siddhi
of hearing occult sounds would be not at all the easy matter you imagine. It was never
done to any one of us, for the iron rule is that what powers one gets he must himself
acquire. And when acquired and ready for use the powers lie dumb and dormant in their
potentiality like the wheels and clockwork inside a musical box; and only then does it
become easy to wind up the key and set them in motion. Of course you have now
more chances before you than my zoophagous friend Mr. Sinnett, who were he even to give
up feeding on animals would still feel a craving for such a food, a craving over which
he would have no control and, — the impediment would be the same in that case. Yet every
earnestly disposed man may acquire such powers practically. That is the finality
of it; there are no more distinctions of persons in this than there are as to whom the
sun shall shine upon or the air give vitality to. There are the powers of all nature before
you; take what you can.

Your suggestion as to the box I will think over. There would have to be some contrivance
to prevent the discharge of power when once the box was charged, whether during transit
or subsequently: I will consider and take advice or rather permission. But I must say
the idea is utterly repugnant to us as everything else smacking of spirits and mediumship.
We would prefer by far using natural means as in the last transmission of my letter to
you. It was one of M's chelas who left it for you in the flower-shed, where he entered
invisible to all yet in his natural body, just as he had entered many a time your museum
and other rooms, unknown to you all, during and after the "Old Lady's" stay. But unless
he is told to do so by M. he will never do it, and that is why your letter to
me was left unnoticed. You have an unjust feeling towards my Brother, kind sir, for he
is better and more powerful than I — at least he is not as bound and restricted as I am
— I have asked H. P. B. to send you a number of philosophical letters from a Dutch Theosophist
at Penang — one in whom I take an interest: you ask for more work and her — one is some.
They are translations, originals of those portions of Schoppenhauer which are most in
affinity with our arhat doctrines. The English is not idiomatic but the material
is valuable. Should you be disposed to utilise any portion of it, I would recommend your
opening a direct correspondence with Mr. Sanders, F.T.S. — the translator. Schoppenhauer's
philosophical value is so well known in the Western countries that a comparison or connotation
of his teachings upon will, etc., with those you have received from ourselves might be
instructive. Yes I am quite ready to look over your 50 or 60 pages and make notes on the
margins: have them set up by all means and send them to me either through little "Deb"
or Damodar and Djual Kul will transmit them. In a very few days, perhaps tomorrow, your
two questions will be amply answered by me.

1. Not in the sense of Natus "born" but Nature as the sum total
of everything visible and invisible, of forms and minds, the aggregate of the known (and
unknown), causes and effects, the universe in short infinite and uncreated and endless,
as it is without a beginning. (return to text)